Vegetarian & Vegan Food In South Wales

Secret weapon from the herb garden: lovage. Basically it’s parsley on steroids. Just a small amount will add a sharp savoury note to salads or a deep unami hit to stocks and soups. Gotta love the lovage. Spot it in this week’s wild rice and walnut tabbouleh. And remember: this herb is not available in the shops. Menu for Herbivore at the Embassy Cafe here.

Mumbai Mess from last week’s Masala Mash Up supper club. Meringue, mango, strawberries and cashew cream. We had to re name it Mumbai Tidy as we couldn’t bring ourselves to smash it all together. Some thing very similar on this ween’s menu at the Embassy Cafe. More details here.

This week we have a very special guest coffee on filter: a fruity Tanzanian from Manumit Coffee. Manumit are a Cardiff based roasters offering training, support and employment for survivors of modern slavery. Great tasting coffee, wonderful idea for a business. very happy to give them my trade. This weekend’s menu here.

Sorry folks, but every year I go to Sicily to cook and eat lovely things. Someone has to.

As I dont have anyone right now that can run Herivorte at the Embassy Cafe without me we will be closed the weekends of the 28th April, 5th May and 12yh May. Business as usual fromn the 19th May – back in time to celebrate the Royal Wedding. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

New to me from Blaencamel Farm this week is Catalan Chicory. Like a cultivated dandelion, it’s a slightly bitter, astringent green needing a quick blanche to cope with any toughness in the stems followed by a glut of good olive oil and a light seasoning of salt and lemon. Delicious as a side, plonked on top of a pile of pasta or, as I’m doing this weekend, used as a foil to the richness of duck egg and fried potatoes. Keeping it Catalan with Romesco sauce too. Full menu here.

Imagine a picture of my rhubarb dessert from last week’s supper club at the Fig Tree in Penarth here. (My camera’s playing up). Rhubarb on the menu for the first time this year: at the supper club roasted and served with rosewater ice and a blood orange puree. At the Embassy Cafe this weekend in a cake with ginger 3 ways: root, powder and crystallised. Full menu here.

Sorry folks, they’ll be no Herbivore at the Embassy on Easter Sunday. Open Saturday 11 – 5 as normal with Easter eggs on the menu – green shakshuka: eggs baked with leek, pepper and spring greens with a yogurt sauce and potatoes with cumin and dill. Full menu here.

Corn tortillas straight off the plane from the Bronx, NYC. Strictly for personal consumption though. But we do have the same thing in blue from the lovely Cool Chile Co in London making their way onto this week’s menu at the Embassy. Pure blue corn tortillas sandwiching refried black beans, spinach and cheese (if that’s your thing, walnuts if it’s not), saute spiced potatoes and salsa. Full menu here.

The artic snows were melting to reveal the green shoots of spring today. The first wild garlic of the season for me – mostly very young, tender shoots but a few patches of true leaves on South facing slopes. Expect to find it on this week’s Embassy cafe menu

Other news: pleased to say Herbivore will be back at the Fig Tree in Penarth for 2 nights in a row with a set five course vegan menu on Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th April. Details to follow;low very shortly..

Well, I managed to miss St Pancake’s Day as usual. Never seems to fall on the weekend. Instead, to celebrate National Welshcake Day, I’m putting a version of rarebit on the menu. Still with a cheese roux, but on cornbread and accompanied by black beans, a smoky tomato and pepper sauce and salsa verde. Full menu here.